How does this club fulfill its objectives?
Promoting friendship is easy! We have our monthly meetings which begin with dinner and a chance to chat. At several meetings, we have a speaker. This year, our first was Eileen Pearce on the Life of Maria von Trapp, before and after the Sound of Music. This was such a success that we were in danger of overstaying our welcome at the hotel! Each year, the incoming President organises a trip for members and their friends. This year we went to Harewood House for a vist to the house and grounds and lunch. Later in the year, we shall have our usual members' Christmas dinner and next year a dinner and social evening with members of Rotary and friends. Bur our big event in 2012 will be our 75th anniversary celebration in March to which we shall invite Rotarians and members of other Inner Wheel clubs in our district.
To encourage the ideal of personal service, we fund raise for local and national charities in the UK. This year, Ann has chosen the National Osteoporosis Society as her main charity. Ann is unusual in being our member to have her two stints as President in consecutive years, instead of taking a breather first. Last year, her chosen charity was the Rochdale Hospice for which we raised over £1500. Let's hope we do as well this year! We also made donations to the North West Air Ambulance, the Rochdale Petrus Community, Childline North West and the National Osteoporosis Society.
To further international understanding we raise funds for overseas charities. Last year, we sent two Life Boxes filled with life straws (individual water filters) to Pakistan and donated to the New Zealand Earthquake appeal, the Rotary Jaipur Limb Foundation, Sightsavers, the Leprosy Mission and to our district 128's own India Fund begun by a member with family connections in India. After the Christchurch earthquake, we emailed our support to their Inner Wheel Club and received a reply giving a harrowing description of how one member ran through the city, searching for her family members.